


Written in Scarlet

by Crimson1



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, ColdFlash Big Bang 2020, Dress Up, M/M, Murder Mystery, Secrets, Singing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:01:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27780436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimson1/pseuds/Crimson1
Summary: Cisco has recently started dating Lisa, and they want their friends and family to meet. They plan for a Murder Mystery Party at the Wells Mansion, and everyone has an assigned character.Barry is Cisco’s best friend and wants to be supportive but is a little nervous about being assigned what was meant to be a female role – the lounge singer, Scarlet Bordeaux. He plays it up anyway, and immediately falls for Lisa’s dashing brother, Len, who’s playing the part of a mobster.While Lisa’s side (Len, Sara, and Mick) are a little rough around the edges, Cisco’s is easygoing (Barry, Iris, and Caitlin), and they all quickly start to get along, especially since Len has eyes for Barry too. The party is going great—until the murder mystery becomes a little too real.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Leonard Snart, Captain Cold/The Flash, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 77
Collections: Coldflash Bang 2020





	Written in Scarlet

**Author's Note:**

> For the ColdFlash Bang 2020. You can find the companion art for this by the incredible Amber_Flicker on Tumblr here: https://amber-flicker.tumblr.com/post/636724565821751296/barry-reached-len-the-others-all-a-step-or-two
> 
> Red Harlequin also created an amazing image set here: https://theroguesharlequin.tumblr.com/post/636698168203051009/show-chapter-archive
> 
> I originally wrote a drabble to this idea a couple years ago and always wanted to return to it. It's unfinished as a single chapter, but I may flush it out further in the future, since I have the whole thing plotted. 
> 
> Enjoy!

If ever Barry was going to channel his inner Jessica Rabbit, this was the moment.

He stepped onto the small stage at the end of the ballroom, as the first trills of the song’s opening began. With the lights in his eyes, he could almost pretend he was performing for a packed auditorium, but as his vision adjusted, he saw clearly through the glare to their small group of seven, all filling their plates or requesting drinks from Cisco.

All except one— _Len_ —who was turned forward, staring at Barry.

So, Barry sang right to him.

_“You had plenty money, 1922…”_

XXXXX

Barry frowned at the invitation, which looked deceptively harmless on the outside, simply stating, “You’re invited!” but inside explained the rules of their upcoming Murder Mystery Party, as well as his assigned role.

_Scarlet Bordeaux._

“This is a girl’s part.”

“Get with the 21st century, Barr.”

“You know that isn’t—”

“It was the only part left!” Cisco blurted, spinning toward him where they stood in their cramped kitchen.

They’d shared an apartment since graduation, after rooming in the dorms all four years. They made perfect roommates and even better friends.

Usually.

“Please.” Cisco clasped Barry’s wrists between his hands, and since Barry was still holding the invitation, it wavered like a black and gold fan between them. “I let Lisa’s side pick first, so her brothers wouldn’t kill me.”

“Brothers? I thought she only had one?”

“One by blood, but this big guy she grew up with is basically a brother too, and they’re both super-scary. Please? Or you can swap with Iris!” He released Barry only to push a piece of notebook paper at him with each of the character names next to one of the guests.

“Trixie Craven?” Barry read beside Iris’s name. “The cigarette girl in stilettos? That isn’t better!”

“No, being the singer is, because we can totally set up part of the intro for you to show off your pipes, man. Her brother—” Cisco stopped Barry from trying to sidestep past him out of the kitchen, “the real one, is super-hot. Objectively speaking.”

“Who you also just said is super- _scary_?”

“Please, Barr, this is the love of my life here! The night has to go perfect.”

Barry glanced at the list again.

_Barry – Scarlet Bordeaux, the lounge singer determined to become a star_

_Iris – Trixie Craven, the cigarette girl in stilettos who knows everyone’s secrets_

_Cisco – Malcolm “Mac” McBride, the bartender running from his past_

_Lisa – Kitty Lovegood, three-time widow and owner of the speakeasy_

_Leonard – Nathan “North” Jones, the ice-cold mobster just released from jail_

_Mick – Bruno Rose, the bouncer with a fiery temper only booze can calm_

_Caitlin – Margaret “Peg” Needlemeyer, the police station receptionist planted by Kitty_

_Sara – Alex Nightingale, an assassin for hire currently on North’s payroll_

“Wait, assassin for hire? _Alex?_ This is another guy’s part! And a really cool one!”

“ _Please_ ,” Cisco tried again, looking at Barry with a pathetically hopeful pout. “Sara’s on their side, and that’s the part she wanted.”

Damn those big brown puppy eyes.

“Fine.” Barry thrust the list and invitation back at Cisco. “But this brother better be _super_ -hot.”

XXXXX

More like _insanely_ hot when the night came, to the point that Barry tripped over the rug in the entryway when they arrived at the Wells Mansion to find Lisa’s group already there, her big brother Leonard standing smoldering and gorgeous right inside the door.

He wore a three-piece suit, all black, save for a navy vest and tie, with a black fedora just slightly crooked. The outfit alone would have caught Barry’s attention, but the trim figure inside the suit, the male model face beneath the rim of the hat with piercing blue eyes, cut him to the quick.

He almost wished he _had_ tripped and fallen, if that might have caught him.

“You must be the night’s entertainment.” Leonard winked at Barry— _and holy shit, was he flirting?_

No, he was just in character. After all, Barry was the lounge singer.

Scarlet Bordeaux was described almost like Jessica Rabbit—including with sparkly red gown, deadly heels, and a feather boa. Once Barry had resigned himself to his role, he figured he’d go all in.

He’d chosen a white button-down that he kept unbuttoned to his navel, with a sleek open red suit coat and red slacks. Glittery red and black fur adorned his lapels to mimic a boa, and he wore a black trilby and black boots with heels, making him an extra inch taller than his usual six-foot-one.

After seeing the finished ensemble in the mirror, he’d said, _fuck it_ , and added eyeliner and mascara to complete the look. Cisco said it was seriously sexy, and he almost believed it—only now, he sort of wanted to hide beneath his trilby.

“I’m Barry. I mean _Scarlet_ , but… um…”

“North Jones, pleasure to meet you,” Leonard used his character name and held out a black-gloved hand. The leather was unfairly soft against Barry’s skin and made him shiver.

“Uck! Still raining sheets out there,” Iris called from behind Barry—and pushed him from where he’d stalled in the entryway right into Leonard.

 _Oh_ , his eyes were blue, his smirk handsome, his body warm…

Barry jolted upright. He must seem like a complete idiot, but then, Leonard was still smiling.

“You are Leonard, right? Lisa’s brother? Not, um… Mick?”

“Len,” Len corrected, looking Barry over with seeming appreciation, and then he nodded at where Lisa was introducing Cisco to a burly brute.

The brute also wore a suit, but more classic pinstripe, with his tie loosened and his fedora tipped back like it annoyed him to wear either.

“That’s Mick. Barry suits you, by the way. But I think I like Scarlet better.”

 _Fuck_ , how was Barry supposed to respond to someone so… cool?

“I’m Iris.” Iris saved him, shuffling around Barry after shaking out her coat. “Or Trixie for the night. Nice to meet you.”

Now that her jacket had been discarded, Barry could see her ruffled purple and black mini dress, with long gloves, a choker around her neck, and a miniature top hat askew on her head. She had the traditional belly shop somewhere that she had brought—Barry helped her make it—which she’d wear around her neck to distribute ‘cigarettes’. It would actually just be snacks, since smoking wasn’t allowed in the mansion.

Barry might be imagining it, but he’d swear Len’s eyes kept straying back to _him_ more than to Iris, even as the handsome mobster called over the last person Barry had yet to meet.

“This is Sara Lance, our assassin,” Len said.

Barry would have scowled as he turned to her, since he’d wanted that role for himself, if she didn’t look every bit the part of femme fatale.

Like _wow_.

Sara was closer to Scarlet than Barry, in a knockout strapless gown, though it was a beautiful ivory instead of red, with a white fur stole over her shoulders, white gloves, and one of those glittery 20s headbands. She looked almost Hollywood starlet, but the high slit in her dress definitely said _fatal_.

“Alex Nightingale,” she introduced, and Barry tried to get with the program and took her hand to kiss it instead of shake.

“And how do you know… North?”

Sara leaned in to whisper out of character, “We used to date.”

“Oh.” Barry’s heart sank.

“I became such good friends with him, Micky, and Lisa, seemed stupid to stop just because we didn’t work as a couple.”

“Sure.” Barry had clearly been projecting, and Len was actually strai—

“I date women more than he does anyway. And you were?” Sara turned to Iris, taking her hand to kiss it like Barry had done with her, and— _wait, what?_

Barry’s attention snapped back to Len, who was still grinning at him.

Not gay.

But not straight either.

“Where’s Caitlin?” Cisco asked, looking a little flushed in the cheeks like he got when he was nervous. Mick must have been grilling him, because he looked surly in a way that said it was more than just an act as his bouncer persona.

“She—” Iris pivoted toward the door, but just then Caitlin burst through it, holding her jacket over her head to protect it from the downpour.

Throwing her coat back, she proved she’d also managed to remain mostly unscathed, her brunette hair pinned up conservatively, since she was playing a bookish role, with fake cat-eye spectacles, and wearing a more flapper-like dress in silver and blue.

Barry wasn’t sure, but he thought Mick’s unfriendliness eased a little as he looked at her.

“Sorry!” Caitlin called, shutting the door behind her. “I thought I had an umbrella but couldn’t find it. Good job ordering the ambiance, Cisco.” She snickered, and most of the others echoed her.

Before Cisco could comment, a loud crack of thunder shook the entryway.

 _Really_ fitting ambiance.

“I aim to please!” Cisco said, perhaps a little overeager.

Usually, he wore his long wavy hair down, but tonight he had it tied back into a messy bun, with a white button-down like Barry, though his was buttoned all the way up, complete with bowtie, suspenders, an apron, and arm garters to hold his rolled up sleeves. He was perfect for his part as bartender, though standing next to Lisa made anyone seem boring by comparison.

She also wore a flapper dress, but everything about her screamed _Great Gatsby_ decadence, partly because every inch of her costume was in shades of gold—the dress, the gloves, the headband, the jewelry, even her heels, with a sparkling feather boa to make up for Barry lacking one.

“I can’t believe you were able to rent this place.” Lisa latched onto Cisco, coiling her hands around his arm and pressing up against him. “Was it expensive?”

Mick immediately went back to surly, sizing Cisco up from a looming position, and Barry thought Sara and Len also shifted demeanor. They were more subtle, just a cold, calculating mask falling over both of them, but Sara must be a good friend indeed, and Len clearly wasn’t one to let his baby sister date just any schlub.

Not that Cisco was a schlub! Far from it. And Barry hoped he could help prove that tonight.

“Well, um… Mr. Wells gave me a great deal,” Cisco said, melting beneath Lisa’s attention. “I used to work for him. It’s usually a bed and breakfast, you know, but this is the slow time of year, so he didn’t have anyone booked for the night.”

The Wells Mansion had been in Harrison Wells’ family for at least a hundred years. It was a historical building in Central City, though not technically a historical landmark. Barry remembered Cisco trying to help Wells get it declared as one before he changed jobs. It was as grand and atmospheric for a Murder Mystery Party as the house from _Clue_.

Now that everyone was settled with jackets hung and bags stacked inside the entryway, they started to fan out along the marble floor of the foyer. Barry took in the chandelier above them, finally feeling a little excited for tonight.

He also felt the heat of someone’s eyes on him and found Len staring again with that alluring smirk.

Maybe Barry was _really_ excited.

“Quick introductions for anyone who hasn’t met yet,” Lisa declared, “then everyone stays in character the rest of the night. Deal?”

There was a brief din of activity as everyone moved about, introducing themselves or being introduced as needed. Barry totally got the super-scary vibe from Mick, but Len was different, though maybe that was for everyone except Cisco. When Len wasn’t being cool and imposing toward Barry’s best friend, however, he kept finding reasons to be close to Barry. It couldn’t only be his imagination.

“I hope no one tracked in any mud,” an eloquent voice spoke over them.

Their chatter halted, as Harrison Wells entered from another room. He was a handsome older man with prim modern clothes and dark-rimmed glasses that made him very much stand out compared to their 20s garb.

“You don’t have to worry, Mr. Wells,” Caitlin said. “I’ll keep a close eye on things. You won’t even know we were here by 10 am tomorrow.”

Caitlin still worked for Wells, which was how she and Cisco had become friends.

“We’ll be the best-behaved guests you ever had!” Cisco affirmed.

If Barry was being honest, Cisco seemed even more falsely positive around Wells than he’d been acting around Len and Mick, like the man intimidated him, though it had always seemed like he enjoyed working here.

Then again, as Wells scanned everyone and his intense gaze landed on Barry, he understood why. This guy had a vibe about him that made Barry feel unworthy, and everyone else was clearly affected too.

“I’m sure you’ll be exemplary,” Wells said with a sort of forced politeness. “After all, we have the sheriff’s daughter in our midst.”

Barry had almost forgotten. Sara _Lance_ , Sheriff Lance’s daughter. Good thing Barry was studying law, or he’d worry she’d have an advantage figuring out the mystery ahead of him.

“What about the rest of your friends, Mr. Ramon?” Wells asked.

Cisco introduced them all, ending on Lisa.

“Ah yes, the figure skater.” Wells nodded. 

“ _Semi_ -professional,” Lisa amended, “if I want a chance at the Olympics next round.”

Barry still couldn’t believe Cisco was dating a famous athlete, even if she was semi-professional.

“A pleasure,” Wells said. “The rooms you’ve all been allotted upstairs are marked with your character names, as per Mr. Ramon’s request.”

“Oh,” Lisa spoke up, “but we thought it would be fun if whoever guesses the murderer gets the biggest room. Right now, it has mine and Cisco’s names, but if someone else gets it, the master bedroom is all yours.”

Barry definitely wasn’t imagining the look Len gave him then.

He tried to smile coyly and hoped he didn’t look like a goon.

“I can show everyone upstairs so we can drop off our things before we get started,” Caitlin said.

“But first,” Wells broke in again, “Mr. Ramon asked that I collect your cell phones and place them in the safe to help set the mood. May I?” He pulled out a drawstring bag and began to do just that. While some of those gathered seemed wary of the idea, they still gave up their phones—until Wells got to Cisco.

“I’m keeping mine. I need it for some of the story stuff, but it’ll be behind the bar so it doesn’t distract anyone.”

“I’ll leave you alone then,” Wells said, “but I’ll be in my office at the end of the hall if anyone needs anything. My office is also my bedroom but quite soundproof, so don’t hold back on my account. As long as nothing gets broken, please, enjoy yourselves.” He tried once more for a smile, but Barry still thought it looked off-putting. “The sound system and refreshments are setup in the other room. Enjoy.”

“Mr. Wells,” Iris called before he could disappear, “is there a guestbook? You know, so we can sign it to commemorate the night.”

He gestured to the front desk at the end of the foyer, situated beautifully between two bookending staircases. “Be my guest.”

Once he was gone, Sara turned with renewed excitement. “Did he say sound system?”

“Yep,” Lisa answered brightly, pointing to the left of the front desk, whereas Wells had headed right. “So that Barry—I mean _Scarlet_ —can perform for us.”

“You’re a real singer?” Len asked—and when had he gotten so close again? Barry could feel the heat emanating from beneath his suit layers.

“I… dabble.”

“Are we supposed to be at a night club?” Mick asked.

“Speakeasy.” Cisco flicked his suspenders, and then dropped his smile when Mick stared deadpan back at him. “S-so it’s… a mansion turned into a nightclub to avoid suspicion during Prohibition.”

“Nice,” Iris said.

“But no more breaking character!” Lisa announced. “Last thing out of character is this: once we get started, if anyone feels anyone else press a ‘gun’ to them,” she mimicked a gun with two fingers pointed upward, and then pressed them gently to the side of Cisco’s head, “and you hear a whispered _bang_ , it means the killer got you and you’re dead, so you have to lie down. After that, dead people can move around again to help with planting clues per the guidebook and your individual packets.”

They paused to bring their things upstairs but left their bags in the hall outside each room, since there would likely be rearranging once the murderer was caught— _if_ they were caught. If they got away with it, the master bedroom would belong to the murderer.

“Everyone ready?” Lisa asked once they had returned to the foyer.

There was no dissent, and Lisa moved to stand before everyone with a visible change in demeanor. 

“Welcome to this exclusive party in honor of my most recent late husband’s passing. I am once again _Ms_. Lovegood, but you can call me Kitty. Shall we start off the evening’s celebrations with refreshments and Scarlet’s winning vocals?”

XXXXX

Barry grabbed the microphone to keep himself from shaking.

He was Scarlet.

_He was Scarlet._

_“You had plenty money, 1922  
You let men and women make a fool of you  
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?  
Get out of here, get me some money too.”_

Sliding the microphone from the stand, Barry felt more confident as he held it. The song was technically cheating, since the original came out after Prohibition, but if they could pretend the sound system was a live band, they could fudge this too.

_“You're sittin' down and wonderin' what it's all about  
You ain't got no money, they will put you out.”_

Barry slowly drew his free hand up his stomach and chest and through the ruffles of feathers on his lapels, and then just as slowly back down again.

_“Why don't you do right, like some other men do?  
Get out of here, get me some money too.”_

There were three steps from the stage to the main floor. Barry hadn’t intended to leave the comfort of the lights, but as he continued, his feet moved as though _Scarlet_ were leading him.

_“If you had prepared twenty years ago  
You wouldn't be a-wanderin' now from door to door  
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?  
Get out of here, get me some money too.”_

Everyone was looking now, food and drinks in hand or not, but Barry stayed focused on _North_.

_“I fell for your jivin' and I took you in  
Now all you got to offer me's a drink of gin  
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?  
Get out of here, get me some money too.”_

Barry reached Len, the others all a step or two farther away at the bar. As he sang, he handed Len the microphone. Barry still sang into it, close in Len’s space, but he removed his trilby, elegantly rolling it down his arm, while tracing his free fingers along the rim of Len’s fedora. He plucked the fedora from Len’s head, took it for his own, and replaced it with the trilby.

_“Why don't you do right, like some other men do.”_

With a wink, he reclaimed the microphone, making a point to caress Len’s fingers as he did so, and turned to sing the final line headed back to the stage.

_“Like some other men…”_

Barry tilted his head upward and over his shoulder with the long, lasting high note.

_“Doooooooooooo.”_

The others erupted in uproarious applause—for seven people—but the real win came when Barry turned forward again to bow and caught Len’s eyes flicking down and back up his body with a bite at his lower lip.

“Now, _Scarlet_ needs a drink,” Barry said into the microphone, “but I could be persuaded for an encore later.”

The others applauded louder as he hurried back to replace the microphone and turned on the playlist Cisco had prepared. Cisco had a Whiskey Sour waiting for him when he descended the stage this time, but Len was the one who handed it to him.

“Thanks.”

“You can keep the hat, by the way.”

Barry was certain his cheeks were as red as his character, but that had definitely been worth it.

A bell dinged—which was actually Cisco’s phone hidden behind the bar, setup to inform them whenever they reached a story mark. It was time for the mystery to begin, and everyone opened their packets to read their initial clues about themselves and who the murderer might be.

Barry’s top page said very plainly in big block letters:

**_YOU ARE THE MURDERER._ **

He shifted to make sure no one else could see it.

_Your first target is the bouncer. Get Bruno alone or take him out with the lights off before the next half hour mark leads to new clues. If you fail, a ‘body’ will be chosen at random, which could help or hinder you. Choose wisely._

The following page had Scarlet’s deeper backstory and _why_ she was the murderer. It was common knowledge that she was having an affair with North, but she was also sleeping with Bruno. North was the one who’d promised to make her a star, however, so she couldn’t risk Bruno telling North the truth.

When Barry looked up, he saw Len smirking at him again. North’s packet probably also mentioned that they were sleeping together, but probably not that Scarlet was sleeping with Bruno.

Mick’s light huff and glance at Barry said his likely spilled the beans though.

Lights out would be easier, especially since luring Mick out of the room would make Barry look super suspicious. Good thing he was fast on his feet and had an eidetic memory, because he was going to have to move in the dark, and he only had thirty minutes to set things up.

As time ticked away, different characters started moving in and out of the room, having private discussions and playing out their own character agendas, since no one had been killed yet. Len and Mick kept trying to get Barry alone, which he knew would be a bad idea—much as being alone with Len was tempting.

He just couldn’t figure out how to turn the lights off without making it obvious he’d done so on purpose. He was halfway through his second drink when he realized he only had ten minutes left.

Then a terrible idea presented itself that he knew he’d have to apologize for later. Iris was having trouble walking in her heels and had stopped at the end of a large rug to remove them, putting the light switch right behind her, and since Barry stood at the other end of the rug, he was in the perfect position to be nefarious.

She’d already removed one shoe, so as soon as she lifted her other foot, Barry made sure no eyes were on him and tugged the rug toward him.

“Ah!” Iris fell—right into the light switch, causing the room to go black.

“Hey!” a chorus of protests sounded.

Barry dashed to where he remembered Mick standing, pressed two fingers to his back, and whispered, “Bang.” Then he hurried back to where he’d been before, getting there just in time before Iris found the switch again to turn the lights on.

“Sorry, I—oh shit!” she said upon seeing Mick sprawled on the floor, eyes closed, though with an admittedly annoyed look on his face.

“Who could have done such a thing?!” Lisa cried dramatically.

“It must have been Trixie!” Caitlin accused. “She turned the lights off.”

“I’m across the room! How could I have done it?”

“That’s true,” Barry said, not wanting to protest too much and aim suspicion on him. “Mac’s the one closest to Bruno. Maybe it was him!”

“Hey! Um… I mean, why would I?” Cisco defended. “Bruno and I are friends!”

The arguments continued, many of them accusing one another, before the next ding on Cisco’s phone sounded.

“Can I get up now?” Mick asked.

Barry’s next packet said that all he had to do was avoid suspicion until the end of the game. If he feared someone was close to accusing him, he could kill again, but he had to be careful not to point more fingers at him that way. He didn’t have to confess if someone randomly accused him. That person had to officially say they were declaring it was him, and just like in the game of _Clue_ , they could then look up the answer, and if they were wrong, they were automatically ‘dead’ and disqualified. Meaning everyone would bide their time and think very critically based on what their characters knew.

“This is bullshit,” Mick grumbled after demanding another drink from Cisco. “I’m dead, so I can’t even guess who killed me.”

“You don’t know?” Iris asked.

“They whispered! Coulda been any one of you!”

“Stop breaking character,” Lisa commanded, swooping over to Mick and tapping him on the lips. “You’re dead, honey. Deal with it. Since we don’t know who the murderer is yet, we don’t know why you were targeted. Maybe it wasn’t even you they were after. Now, in character discussions only.”

“Then I got something to say,” Iris piped up, making her voice higher-pitched and New Yorker sounding to be in character. “I say our number one suspect is you, Ms. Lovegood! Because I know you killed all your late husbands!”

Lisa gasped. “You have no proof! And what about Nightingale? She’s no bodyguard for North. She’s his personal assassin. It must have been her!”

The melodrama was in a class of its own, and Lisa clearly loved it, which in turn seemed to soften Len, Mick, and Sara toward Cisco for having planned things.

Len must love it too, because he never dropped character.

Sometime around everyone’s third drink, loosening up and having fun, Len sidled up to Barry, brushing his lips against Barry’s ear as he whispered, “I’ll get you out of here, baby, I promise.”

Barry shivered. Len was playing his character, but _shit_ , if he meant half of the looks he kept giving Barry, then he could take him anywhere.

Another ding sounded, and before Cisco could pass out the next round of packets, Caitlin asked for a bathroom break, and everyone agreed, given how easily those drinks kept going down.

Barry was pleasantly buzzed and really enjoying being the murderer. There was so much chaos going on with the other characters, he didn’t think anyone suspected him. Everyone had secrets slowly being spilled.

Cisco’s character was actually a mole for the police, Lisa _had_ killed her husband and the two before that, Caitlin was blackmailing Cisco because she knew he was a mole, and even though _she_ was a mole working for Lisa inside the police, she actually wanted to screw over both sides because her brother died in jail after being arrested for smuggling Lisa’s booze, and Sara was addicted to gambling and owed Lisa thousands.

Iris? She was the one who knew all this and kept blabbing. She hadn’t spilled about Barry sleeping with Mick though, so maybe she hadn’t gotten a packet on that yet, and with Mick dead, no one else seemed aware.

Barry kind of hoped the truth would come out soon. He wanted an excuse to amp things up and kill someone else. He never thought a murder mystery could be so fun.

The real thing certainly hadn’t been.

“Hey.” Cisco pulled Barry aside as he was leaving the bathroom. “Listen, man, sorry it took like several drinks and one character death before this dawned on me, but… are you okay? I should have been more sensitive and asked before we did this, since… you know.”

“Since my parents were murdered?” Barry smiled wryly. His expression must have shifted with his straying thoughts, but he hadn’t meant to look downtrodden.

“I am a total callous idiot.”

“No.” Barry laughed. “That was years ago. I can’t tiptoe around it forever, not when I might go into law enforcement. This is fun. Seriously.”

“So, you weren’t even thinking about it until I had to go and bring it up?”

“Well, maybe it crossed my mind. But this is awesome, dude, really. And so is Lisa.”

“Yeah.” That dopey lovesick look crossed Cisco’s face, as he turned to find Lisa, and then sighed when he spotted her. “My parents love her. _I_ love her. Do you think… Dante would have loved her?”

It was a terrible thing to have in common, but it had helped them bond—having lost loved ones. Cisco’s brother died from a drunk driver, not a B&E gone wrong like Barry’s parents, but it was no less tragic.

“No question.” Barry patted his friend’s shoulder. “He might have even tried to steal her from you.”

“Don’t say that!” Cisco laughed. “You know… Len’s not so bad either.”

When Barry looked, he wasn’t surprised to find Len staring at him from across the room.

“Okay!” Lisa clapped to get everyone’s attention. “Back in character and next round of packets.”

Most of Barry’s packets had been blank, just telling him to keep playing dumb to get away with murder. But this one told him something new, and he realized they hadn’t learned any secrets about Len’s character yet. Barry had just assumed being a mob boss was enough, but now he knew something else.

_North is a compulsive liar. You overheard him admit that he can’t actually make you a star—and that he just learned you were sleeping with Bruno._

Shit.

Barry looked up, and this time Len’s smirk was downright cat-ate-the-canary. If Scarlet hadn’t killed someone else by now, the game was forcing her hand. 

“We need to stop turning on each other,” Lisa said as her character Kitty. “The killer might be someone else in the house. We need to investigate before calling the police. We’ll split up and meet back here in half an hour.”

“It’s telling us to split up?” Sara questioned, and then cleared her throat to try again when Lisa rolled her eyes. “I mean… why split up? Why not go in pairs to watch each other’s backs?”

“Because we might be condemning someone to be alone with a killer,” Len supplied.

“This way,” Lisa clarified, “everyone has the same fighting chance, but if you run into others, you’re welcome to stay together if you trust them.”

“Is this why you had me plant clues during the break?” Mick asked.

“Yes.” Lisa groaned. “Now, everyone, shoo. And Mick—”

“I’ll get some shots lined up.” He beelined for the bar and started scanning bottles of whiskey.

Barry had a feeling he’d taste-test a few before picking one.

Len cast Barry a long, perusing glance before everyone parted ways to head in different directions throughout the mansion. Barry had to eventually circle back to Len if he wanted him to be his next ‘victim’, but he couldn’t let anyone see him backtrack—or he’d have to kill them too.

He made a mental note of where Len appeared to be headed, and then made a concerted effort to move slowly, so he could get an idea of where everyone else was headed too. He pretended he was going toward Wells’ office, since it seemed obvious no one else wanted to go anywhere near there. The others almost all headed upstairs, which was perfect, because Len was headed toward a door at the back of the foyer.

Once Barry was sure no one was looking, and Mick was successfully distracted lining up shots in the other room, he hurried after Len.

The initial door led into a narrow hallway, a servant’s corridor maybe, given this was a vast and sprawling mansion. There were a few doors lining the hall, but none of them were open, only the one straight ahead that led into the kitchen.

Barry cautiously peered inside—but Len wasn’t there. Where could he have—

“The trick to opening and closing a door without someone noticing is patience.”

A crack of thunder almost made Barry yelp, but the powerful arms that encircled him stole his voice. He was captured by a warm body, similar in height to his own but broader, and very nicely defined through the fabric of his suit.

Len’s breath puffed against Barry’s neck. “Broken up about losing your other beau, baby, or did you just miss me?”

_North._

Which meant Barry was supposed to be Scarlet.

“I, uh… don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No point in denying it. I know you’re two-timing me.”

“A-and I know you were lying about my big break!” Barry instinctively pressed back against the body holding him. It was firm— _very_ firm. “I should hate you, but…”

“But?”

The arms loosened from around Barry to allow him to turn, and when he did, he couldn’t stay in character.

Len was just so handsome.

Barry laughed to cover his nerves, feeling his face heat up. “I know we’re supposed to stay in character, but… you play the part of a dashing criminal really well.”

Len laughed too, averting his eyes only to center once more on Barry. “Thanks.”

“Playing roles doesn’t make it easy to get to know someone. What do you actually do?”

Len flicked his eyes away again. “Still trying to figure that out.”

“Me too!” Barry tried to amend that Len obviously didn’t want to talk about that. “I’m in grad school but I haven’t decided if I want to go more science focused or law.”

“You want to be a cop?”

“More like forensics. Or… a detective might be fun. It’s been fun tonight.”

Len’s slowly widening grin made the flutters in Barry’s stomach increase like hummingbird wings. “Well gee, copper, maybe I should be worried.”

Barry laughed again. “Only if you have something to hide.”

“There is one thing.” Len leaned in closer, so close that Barry could feel the heat from his body and breath on his lips. “I really want that master bedroom. Why don’t we help each other? If either of us wins, we could… share. I mean, I already know you’re the killer.”

“Yeah… I mean no!” Barry pulled backward. “I’m not!”

“Gotcha.” Len kept his grin. “Now, I could be persuaded to let you get away with it, as long as I can sleep in that big bed too.”

Barry definitely wasn’t reading into anything; Len’s offer was plain before him—in a _super_ -hot package. “Or I could get my gun!” He tried to play at least a little hard to get, raising a hand with two fingers pointed and his thumb extended. “I also win if I get away with murder.”

“Still sounds like we can share to me.” Len reached without hesitation to take Barry’s gun— _hand_ —and drew Barry’s fingers to his lips.

Barry didn’t actually think he was going to—but then he _did_. Len sucked Barry’s fingers into his mouth, twirled his tongue like licking a lollipop, and hollowed out his cheeks.

Barry pulsed in his suit pants, so instantly hard, that when Len leaned into his body and nudged the distinct line of Barry’s cock, he moaned.

“Well now, Scarlet…” Len grinded his thigh harder against Barry, “you gonna use that weapon?”

Grabbing Len by his lapels, Barry crashed their mouths together with a deep probe of his tongue to replace where his fingers had been. The rims of their hats collided and knocked backwards off both their heads, leaving nothing between them but far too much clothing.

Barry could commit another murder, or Len could out him—either way, Barry knew where he was sleeping tonight.

Len’s hands were all over him, still wearing those leather gloves and pushing the jacket from Barry’s shoulders to get his fingers inside the deep V of Barry’s open shirt. He kept grinding them together, backing Barry into the kitchen to find whatever hard surface they met first.

“Wait,” Len panted when Barry’s back finally hit a counter. His gorgeous blue eyes looked cloudy with lust. “You too tipsy for this?”

If Barry’s was being honest, he’d gone stone-cold sober the moment Len sucked his fingers. “Tipsy enough for confidence, but not convincing. I’m convinced.”

Len’s grin turned softer, and as he held Barry against the counter, he traced a finger down to his exposed navel and cupped his cheek with his other hand. “And why would you need confidence?”

“Y-you’d be surprised.”

The hand didn’t stop at Barry’s navel, and apparently, popping buttons on a pair of slacks was easier when they were tight.

Len’s hand slid right in and grabbed Barry’s length with a leather-clad squeeze.

“Seems like plenty of confidence to me.” Len swooped back in to claim Barry’s lips, while rubbing between Barry’s legs in time to thrusts of his tongue.

At this rate, Barry was going to make a mess in his costume—and _soon_ —but he didn’t care.

He slid his arms around Len and down to grab his ass. It was everything Barry had hoped it would feel like, and so was the press of Len’s erection against his hip.

A murmur of voices snapped them apart. Someone was headed their direction!

“Shit,” Len huffed. “Where can we—”

“There.” Barry nodded to a door beside them. “Must be the pantry.”

They scrambled to close themselves inside, where it was cramped and dark but that much easier to keep in contact. Barry groped for Len’s clothed cock and found that it filled his hand impressively well.

“Wait,” Len said again, this time with a slight giggle that told Barry he didn’t mean for Barry’s _hand_ to wait. “There’s something at my feet I don’t want to trip over. Is there a light?”

“Uhh…” Barry reached upward for a string. He thought he’d seen one when they entered, but he hadn’t really been paying attention. “Got it!” He yanked, and the pantry lit up to show the well-stocked stores around them. “What’s down there? Do you think it’s a clue?”

Len’s face paled as he pulled out of contact with Barry.

Then Barry saw why, because behind Len…

…was the body of Harrison Wells.

Dead.

**Author's Note:**

> TBC! Someday...


End file.
